Japan has issued a sharp diplomatic protest after Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to the disputed Kuril Islands. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi condemned the trip as absolutely unacceptable, while Tokyo summoned the Russian ambassador amid stalled peace treaty negotiations and heightened bilateral tensions.
Tokyo Summons Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev as Prime Minister Condemns Visit
The diplomatic fallout began swiftly in Tokyo following reports of the Russian leader’s movements across the disputed island chain. Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russian ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev to lodge a formal protest against the journey.
Takaichi maintained that the territory remains both historically and under international law a part of Japan. She added that the presidential tour directly contradicts Tokyo’s consistent position on the islands, which lie just off the coast of Hokkaido. Japanese television broadcasts showed footage of Putin touring the island of Etorofu—known as Iturup in Russia—where he visited a local hospital, spoke with residents, and sampled caviar at a processing plant.
Moscow Counters With Defense of Sovereign Travel and Prior Sanctions
Moscow rejected Tokyo’s objections outright. The Russian embassy in Tokyo defended the trip by asserting that Putin’s travels within the country are entirely a matter for the Russian leadership to decide and cannot be the subject of discussion with foreign states. Before heading to the island chain, Putin stopped on the nearby island of Sakhalin on Wednesday to inspect navy drills and hold a security meeting focused on Russia’s eastern borders.
During his remarks, Putin turned his attention to international politics, criticizing Japan’s implementation of sanctions following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While acknowledging the earlier diplomatic groundwork laid by late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe—who had previously established an entente to allow Japanese citizens to visit family graves—Putin dismissed the current punitive measures as unprovoked. Japan has identified Russia as a major source of threats,
Putin said, adding, I would like to point out that we are not threatening Japan. On the contrary, it has territorial claims against our country.
The war of words escalated further when former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev took to social media to issue a stern warning to Tokyo. Writing on X, Medvedev posted that the islands were, are, and will remain Russian land, threatening Japan with what he termed monstrous consequences over the territorial dispute.
World War II Legacy and the Unsigned Peace Treaty
The confrontation is rooted in the closing days of World War II. The Soviet Union seized the archipelago—comprising Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai islet group—in August 1945 as Tokyo prepared to surrender. Moscow subsequently deported approximately 17,000 Japanese residents from the islands.
Today, the islands are home to roughly 20,000 Russian citizens. Beyond their profound emotional and historical weight for Japan, the islands hold immense strategic value, offering control over rich fishing grounds and valuable mineral deposits. Tokyo has long maintained that the return of the islands is a condition for signing a formal post-WWII peace treaty.
Regional Security Tensions Compound Diplomatic Fallout
The timing of Putin’s visit adds another layer of regional volatility. The journey unfolded just two days before Japan marks 81 years since its surrender ended World War II. Furthermore, the inspection came just a day after North Korea fired a missile into the sea separating it from Japan, occurring immediately ahead of major joint military exercises between Washington and Seoul.
